Search

"Be the person your dog thinks you are." ~Unknown.We welcome comments. Supportive feedback is what we enjoy most, but tips for improvement are valued too. It’s not required that you agree with us, only that you express your opinion civilly. Comments are moderated and will be posted following review. Read more.

Entries from May 2011

May 31, 2011

The Richmond SPCA is hosting an Affordable Rabies Clinic, which is open to dogs and cats belonging to the public, this Saturday, June 4 between 2 and 4 p.m. at our Robins-Starr Humane Center. The cost per vaccine is $10, payable by cash only.

The clinic will be a drive-up format and will occur in the Richmond SPCA’s side-front parking lot. Volunteers will be on hand to direct traffic and to provide instruction. Pets and their guardians should remain in their vehicles with the air conditioning running.

Registration paperwork will be provided at the time of vaccination, and it will be processed by Richmond SPCA staff once a licensed veterinary professional has administered the vaccination. Only healthy, non-pregnant animals over the age of 12 weeks will be vaccinated. Pets and their guardians may leave the designated vaccination area as soon as the pet has been vaccinated and paperwork has been completed. A rabies tag and certificate for proof of rabies vaccination will be provided.

About the rabies virus: Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death.

All dogs or cats 4 months of age or older must have proof of rabies vaccination. Initial rabies vaccinations protect a pet for 12 months. Subsequent rabies vaccinations are good for up to three years. For more details or information about the Richmond SPCA’s affordable rabies clinic this Saturday, please email khall@richmondspca.org, call 804-521-1302 or visit www.richmondspca.org.

A representative from Richmond Animal Care and Control will also be on hand selling dog and cat licenses for residents of the City of Richmond who wish to purchase them.

If your pet is already current on his or her rabies vaccination, but he or she is not yet microchipped, join us Monday, July 11 from 4 to 7 pm at our Robins-Starr Humane Center for a Low-Cost Microchip Clinic. All microchips, which include initial registration in the national 24PetWatch database, will be $20. To pre-register online, please visit www.richmondspca.org. Thank you for protecting your pets!

Tamsen Kingry is the chief operating officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 25, 2011

Richmond SPCA alumni Asa and Bea enjoy time boating with their adoptive family.

Those of us who travel with our pets are very grateful for the increasing number of hotels and other vacation spots that accept pets in their guests’ rooms. We understand the risks hotels take with such a venture, so we go out of our way to ensure our pet’s best behavior during our stay. If you are considering staying in a “Pets Welcome” hotel or residence, make sure your pet is prepared.

We people don’t typically notice such things, but pets tend to notice every noise in a new location – especially hotels, which are relatively quiet. Your pet may be used to the sounds in his regular home. That tolerance does not necessarily transfer to noises like trucks pulling up in the parking lot, ice-makers running, or even the door of the room next door closing. Keep in mind, if you're used to the advantages of a fenced yard at home, that potty-time on the road will require your donning shoes, jacket and leash, as opposed to just opening the back door. Travelling cats, of course, would require a litter box like their box at home.

Once you and your pet are used to travelling together, the prospect becomes much more pleasant to consider. Until then, try staying overnight with your pet in a nearby hotel before investing in a week-long stay at the beach that may have to be cut short. Or you may want to spend the weekend at a friend’s house with your pet. If you run into snags during your stunt vacations, be sure to call our Behavior Helpline at (804) 643-7722. We’re happy to discuss ideas that might help improve your pet’s behavior while away from home.

Marie Tripton is a senior behavior and training specialist at the Richmond SPCA. To read Marie's biography and those of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 24, 2011

Oftentimes children worry about leaving their furry companions at home while the family is away for summer vacation. They believe they’ll miss out on all the fun. That may be true in some cases. Quite a few of our pets love to accompany us on trips and nowadays more and more services are popping up to make that possible. But there are some pets who would simply find it more enjoyable to remain at home or at a caring boarding facility. Your pet may look forward to a quiet week at home far more than an active week in a strange hotel room. Or your dog may already frequent a local day care that also offers boarding options. Whatever your or your pet’s preference, do attempt to plan ahead.

There are quite a few enjoyable “stay-at-home” options for your pet. Maybe your cat would like to stay with Aunt Jane for the week, or Aunt Jane could stop in once or twice a day to feed and visit with her. There are quite a few home pet care services, and boarding facilities are becoming quite swanky these days. Whichever option you choose, practice first. Have your kitty stay with Aunt Jane for a day or two sometime before you plan to be out of town. Let your pup spend an overnight trial at the boarding facility before leaving him for a week. That way you’ll be able to decide how your pet would be most comfortable spending his or her time when you’re away. Then you’ll be able to relax more on your well-deserved vacation.

Marie Tripton is a senior behavior and training specialist at the Richmond SPCA. To read Marie's biography and those of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 21, 2011

Update: Penelope was adopted to a permanent, loving home on Feb. 16, 2012. Thanks to all who have read and shared her story!

When I first came to work for the Richmond SPCA and was becoming familiar with all the programs we offer the community, one that greatly impressed me was the Angel Pet adoption program. This program encourages the adoption of pets who have ongoing medical needs or chronic conditions. When you give a home to an Angel Pet, you are able to purchase medications and prescription foods from the Richmond SPCA at a discounted price while our veterinary team works in conjunction with your own veterinarian who will manage the pet's care. Adopting an Angel Pet often makes it more financially feasible for families to assume the care of a special needs pet.

Penelope is an adorable 7-year-old Maltese who personifies how meaningful the Angel Pet program is to our lifesaving efforts to place treatable pets with manageable conditions into permanent homes. Penelope was transferred into our care from another shelter around Thanksgiving of 2010. She came to us with a brief medical history and a diagnosed need for surgery to remove bladder stones. Our director of veterinary services, Dr. Angela Ivey reports that Penelope, "unfortunately was not blessed to need a procedure so simple." After further examination, Penelope was instead found to have a condition known as megacolon.

This serious condition is usually a problem of cats, and it is very rare in dogs. Our veterinary team worked to clear a blockage of stool that had likely troubled Penelope for many years. Her condition is not curable and may have contributed to Penelope becoming homeless when her prior owners were not able to handle her care. While in cats a surgery can be performed to make a cat with megacolon more comfortable, we have been able to manage Penelope's condition with a treatment regimen that includes daily enemas, a high fiber diet and four medications that work together to help her have fairly normal bowel movements.

Penelope's playful temperament and wonderful personality can help her work her way into anyone's heart, but her adoption is not to be taken lightly. Our veterinary team estimates that her care will cost approximately $150 each month based on purchasing her medications and food at our reduced cost. We advise speaking with your veterinarian before making her a part of your family, and our veterinary staff will gladly consult with your veterinarian to discuss Penelope's needs.

As the Richmond SPCA works toward saving more of our community's treatably sick and injured pets, it underscores the importance of the Angel Pet program. Our Cinderella Fund provides us with the resources to diagnose and provide veterinary care to thousands of homeless pets each year. For some conditions, there is not a cure, but proper management will allow the pet to live out a life of quality in a loving home. It is always our priority to make every adoption with full disclosure of any special needs known to us. Having the compassion to give a second chance to an imperfect pet could be said to elevate one special human to perfection in that pet's eyes.

To learn more about Penelope or any pet who is available for adoption, please call our adoption center at 804-521-1307.

Tabitha Frizzell Hanes is the director of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 19, 2011

In any animal shelter, the cacophony of sounds may seem overwhelming at times – both to the people and to the animals. While we do provide hearing protection for our team members working in the dog kennels, we also play the radio (Lite98) softly throughout the day, which seems to help the kennels stay quieter and the animals stay more relaxed. The staff enjoys singing along, and you might catch them crooning while they’re cleaning.

In our adoption center we have put together a “shelter soundtrack” – a collection of family-friendly music that could be animal-oriented, playful or something that relates to the theme of “going home.” When you visit the Robins-Starr Humane Center, take a minute to listen and imagine the animals are the ones singing to you. From the Beatles’ lyrics “Help! I need somebody!” to Carrie Underwood’s “Temporary Home,” some of the songs might make you smile or even bring a tear to your eye.

After you take your new pet home, you can start a new soundtrack together. By adopting a homeless pet, not only are you saving a life but you’re getting a wonderful companion who won’t mind your singing and might even join in for a duet!

Kyla Finck is the manager of animal care at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 17, 2011

The first thing that comes to mind when you think of spring is usually romance, blossoming flowers, or warmer temperatures. But ask someone who works in an animal shelter what we think of, and the response will assuredly be kittens! It’s true. At the Richmond SPCA, spring is known as kitten season. It gears up in April and ends sometime after October. Kittens can be spotted in nearly every area of our center, and hundreds are outside of the building in foster care with specially trained volunteers who provide around-the-clock care while they grow big enough to be spayed and neutered and readied for adoption. In all last year, we took into our care more than 1,200 kittens.

During kitten season we see everything. We take care of orphaned infants, singletons, juveniles and mamas with babies. We are a part of their early stages of growth, everyday development, and the overall socialization and health of these precious creatures. Its critical to monitor mama cats to make sure their health is good and their stress level is low so that they can successfully care for their babies. Monitoring kittens is a constant part of our daily routine. We must make sure all are nursing, eating, maintaining good health, and of course growing big and strong. At the first sign that a kitten, or the mama, may not be doing well, our veterinary team is immediately alerted so that we can begin even closer observation and deliver all necessary medical treatment.

Kittens are at a higher risk for illness because of their weaker immune systems. If a kitten is orphaned (has no mama), he is missing the nutrients and immunity he would normally gain from her milk. This is why it’s crucial to monitor the mama cat’s health and to ensure she is content and comfortable. If a mama is stressed out or becoming ill,she is not likely to continue nursing her kittens. If she stops eating,then she is not getting the nutrients her body needs for strength nor does she have enough nourishment to pass on to her kittens. A mama cat who is sick can also pass on her own illness to her kittens. If she is no longer able to feed them, foster care is the best place for the kittens to receive around-the-clock bottle feeding and care. When foster parents come to pick up their charges, they are provided with all the supplies needed for both feeding and comfort -- from kitten formula and bottles to heating pads and stuffed toys to snuggle against and remind them of mom.

Although caring for kittens can be stressful, it can also warm your heart and fill you with pride. I love watching a mom nurse her babies and being a part of their development. There is nothing cuter than a kitten learning to play or discovering new things like his feet or his siblings. Caring for orphaned litters of kittens and singletons has its own rewards. Usually these guys are in a different stage of development and awareness, so playing and snuggling is a must. They require lots of attention and socialization. It’s impossible not to become attached to them all. You instantly love them, and in many ways you will play the role of mama. As wonderful as it is to watch them grow and become ready for adoption, I imagine this is what it feels like to send your child away to college. Saying goodbye, whether you’re prepared or not, is the toughest part of kitten season. Honestly, my eyes tear up at just the thought.

If you are interested in learning more about foster care, visit our Meet the Fosters page, call Tameka Peters at 804-521-1313 or email fostercare@richmondspca.org. The Richmond SPCA provides all supplies for your foster pet and welcomes foster parents who also have pets of their own.

Natalie Peck is the lead animal care technician at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 14, 2011

Editor's note: Eugenie spent several wonderful weeks in foster care with Sarah, and she is now awaiting adoption at the Robins-Starr Humane Center. Stop by to visit her or call 804-521-1307 for more information.

Hi, my name is Eugenie, but liked to be called Genie. My foster mom thinks I know my name, but it might be the pitch of her voice when she calls me. I am a sweet little kitty (aren’t I petite!) who loves attention but recognizes that I cannot always be the center of attention. When I first arrived at my foster mom’s apartment, she put me in her bathroom to allow me to get comfortable in my new surroundings before allowing me free reign of the place. Upon leaving my carrier, I was ready to cuddle but appreciated the extra alone time to collect myself. While I was happy and loving from the very beginning, I was a bit stressed out which was apparent by my initial excessive shedding (this diminished greatly within the first two days).

Overall, I am a laid back little girl who acts rather mature for my youthful age of 4 years. I will occasionally play with toys but they really are not a great interest of mine. I would much rather sit on your lap or lie next to you on the couch. Laser pointers do hold a special place in my heart, and I will show off my lightning fast speed racing around in circles, but generally I lose interest within a couple of minutes.

I am well behaved most of the time, but when you're away, I tend to be a tad bit adventurous. With my foster mom, I showed her how I can stand up, grab onto the top of low cabinets, and open them (clever right?). I will go exploring in those cabinets but am graceful and will not disturb its contents (this is true for jumping on furniture and very rarely onto counters as well). I am a furniture cat in the sense that I want to be where you are, so if that is on the couch or in a chair, I will try to be there too. That being said, I am amenable to being redirected. If you do not want me on your lap or near you, then just nicely put me on the ground, and although it may take a repitition or two, I will get the message.

My small size makes me suitable for many tasks or positions that might not be comfortable for larger cats. For example, even when you are sitting close to the kitchen table, I love to jump up, and sit in your lap (having you pet me) while you eat. If you'll pet me, then I will not disturb your eating. In addition, I can be held with one hand like a baby with my head over your shoulder while the other hand pets me (my foster mom was a big fan of this). I enjoy sleeping in the bed with you, but when the lights go out, I occasionally try to sleep too close for comfort. Again, if I am gently moved, I will leave you alone or find an alternate spot. In the morning, I recognize that beauty sleep is important and will wait for you to wake up to greet you and wish you a good morning. I am also a quiet cat: I neither purr nor whine (except maybe once in a blue moon).

Overall, I am a fantastic cat (at least that is what my foster mom and her friends thought!). I will try to follow you out the door when you leave in the morning and will run to greet you when you come home. I am quite affectionate and will rub up against your ankles (but in a non-annoying way, some cats take it too far, giving the rest of us a bad rap). One thing my foster mom said was important to share about me and my little personality is that I do get frightened occasionally and can overreact. It is best not to disturb me when I am sleeping, or try to physically move me when the lights are out. In addition, I do not like being wrapped in towels or having my toe nails clipped (please do not touch my paws). Since I really prefer others not to touch my claws and I do not want to hurt you if you were to scare me, then it is suggested that a scratching post be a staple in my future home so I can keep my nails neat and trim on my own. If I do overreact or seem to be in an unusual mood, the best bet is to give me a little space and talk to me nicely. I will generally come running back and want to love and apologize to you. I am a lovely, petite cat who my foster mom said was a joy to have in her home. As with humans, we all have our own personalities, and I promise you will not regret once you giving me a chance!

If you are interested in learning more about foster care, visit our Meet the Fosters page, call Tameka Peters at 804-521-1313 or email fostercare@richmondspca.org. The Richmond SPCA provides all supplies for your foster pet and welcomes foster parents who also have pets of their own.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 12, 2011

A few weeks ago, Times-Dispatch editorial columnist A. Barton Hinkle grabbed our attention and captured our imaginations with the suggestion that Richmond, Va. rebrand itself “The Dog Capital of the World.” As advocates for homeless pets, everyone at the Richmond SPCA whole-heartedly supports the concept (even the kitties admit that it’s a doggy kind of town).

In addition to being filled with dog lovers, Richmond is also home to scores of creative types, and we hope you’re feeling inspired too. We’re issuing a challenge to design a T-shirt that embodies the spirit of Hinkle’s column, so “embrace a muttier ethos,” Richmond, and send your submissions to info@richmondspca.org. Attachments should be in jpeg or pdf format. The top design will be printed and made available in our Lora Robins Gift Shop. Along with bragging rights, the winner will receive the first T-shirt of the printing run. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2011.

Tabitha Frizzell Hanes is the director of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 10, 2011

I value my sleep as much as the next person – no, perhaps more – but there is one thing I will put ahead of my own rest. That is the lives of orphaned kittens.

Many who have provided foster care to “bottle baby” kittens will analogize their care to that of a human infant. There are early a.m. feedings; there’s a bit of crying, and while there are no diapers, they do need help in that area too. To get through it all, there is an incredible bond with a tiny creature that relies on you for its every need. You get to watch your charges reach milestones. You will rejoice when they first learn to use a litter box. You’ll probably tell your friends when you first see them groom themselves. Even better is when they begin to eat on their own and allow you to sleep through the night!

Foster care providers are heroes to orphaned kittens who arrive in local shelters unable to eat on their own and with no mama cat to feed them. In recent days, these kittens are arriving at the Richmond SPCA in record numbers. This is the third year that we have pledged to our partners at both Richmond Animal Care & Control and Hanover Animal Control that we will help to save the life of every kitten – whether healthy or treatable.

However, this pledge requires the help of the whole community. Last “kitten season” hundreds of Richmonders opened their homes to care for tiny neonatal kittens, and we need your help like never before. In exchange for opening your home to a litter of kittens in need, the Richmond SPCA will provide all the training and supplies that will help you be a successful foster provider. Thanks to our sponsor, the Veterinary Emergency Center, our foster parents also have access to around-the-clock emergency care. The next training session is this Wednesday, May 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. Can we count on your to help save their lives?

In writing today’s blog, I have pledged to Tameka Peters, our foster care coordinator, that I will foster a litter of kittens this season. I ask you to make the same pledge. Leave a comment here on our blog or on our Facebook page to let us know you’ll open your home for a few weeks. Then visit this link on our website to RSVP for a “Meet the Fosters” workshop. If you can’t attend tomorrow’s session, there are upcoming sessions on May 28, June 22 and July 23.

Tabitha Frizzell Hanes is the director of communications at the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

May 06, 2011

Greetings Richmond SPCA blog followers! We are psychologists at Virginia Commonwealth University and happy to guest write a blog to tell you about the research we have been conducting in partnership with the Richmond SPCA. As many of you probably already know from personal experience, people can have close relationships with animals. Perhaps these relationships are similar to the relationships parents have with their children or romantic relationships. Attachment theory is a very important theory that has been used by psychologists to study both parent-child and romantic relationships. Attachment theory proposes that our views about, and actions in, adult relationships may stem from our childhood bond with our primary caregiver. If our primary caregiver was consistently supportive of us emotionally, then we will have a positive view of relationships and develop secure attachments in both childhood and adulthood. This may be manifested in adults as comfort with closeness, and more effectively providing support as well as asking for support in relationships. If our primary caregiver was inconsistent in meeting our emotional needs, then we would develop attachment anxiety. This may be exhibited in adults as feeling insecure in romantic relationships, acting clingy or trying to get closer than a partner wants to. If our mother was more emotionally distant when we were children, then we would develop attachmentavoidance. This may be displayed in adults as discomfort with closeness in relationships, not opening up emotionally to one’s partner or prioritizing work over relationships.

So how might attachment theory apply to pets? Our attachment anxiety or avoidance might be evident in our relationships with pets the same way as it is with humans. On the other hand, relationships with pets are different in some respects, most notably because our pets don’t leave us! We have found that people who are more anxious and people who are more avoidant tend to view use pets as a substitute for human relationships, preferring to spend more time with them and turning to them for emotional support. Perhaps this is because they have a more negative view of human relationships, but perhaps also because anxious people don’t have to worry about being abandoned and avoidant people don’t have to worry about pets being more emotionally demanding.

Is substituting pet relationships for human relationships a bad thing? Not necessarily. We already know that when pets spend time with hospital patients, they tend to have a more positive mood and recover from some ailments more quickly. Thus, it’s possible that this “substitution” for human relationships may allow people to heal emotionally because the pet serves as a stable and trustworthy “attachment partner,” resulting in improved relationships (less anxiety and less avoidance) with humans in the long run. We are currently still conducting research on this idea, but we hope that it will reveal yet another exciting way that pets improve our lives!

Might you be interested in participating in our research? Our current need is for people who have adopted a pet in the past month to complete two 15-30 minute surveys for us. The first will be completed right away (within a month after adoption); the second survey will be sent via email 6 months after completion of the first survey. We are able to pay new pet owners for completing both surveys. Email us at greenlab@vcu.edu and we’ll provide you with more information. If you haven’t adopted a pet recently but know someone who has, you can show them this blog and have them email us!

Lastly, we would like to thank the terrific staff and volunteers at the Richmond SPCA for helping us!

Thanks! Anthony Coy and Jeff Green

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.